Huard: What is biggest impact of Carroll, Belichick on UW Huskies?

Apr 18, 2024, 8:38 AM | Updated: Apr 21, 2024, 5:20 pm

Patriots coach Bill Belichick talks with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll before a 2016 NFL game. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

Two of football’s most legendary coaches have recently descended on Montlake for the UW Huskies football team’s spring practices.

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Earlier this month, six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick watched a UW practice while donning a Huskies hoodie and hat.

Pete Carroll, the former Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl-winning coach who also won two national championships at USC, was then spotted making an appearance at Tuesday’s practice.

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Each coach has a son on first-year UW coach Jedd Fisch’s staff. Belichick is the father of new UW defensive coordinator Steve Belichick. Carroll is the father of new UW offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll, who was also Fisch’s OC at Arizona.

Just how valuable is it for the Huskies two have two coaching legends spending time around their program?

FOX college football analyst and former UW quarterback Brock Huard shared his thoughts Wednesday during the Blue 88 segment of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

“Just so much wisdom,” Huard said. “I’ve talked to you in the past (about) the exposure and the conversation that creates for high school coaches, the 7-on-7 circuit, high school recruits, transfers and everything else. And that’s all true. That’s beneficial.

“But much more importantly, think about when Pete walks into that meeting room with his son, the offensive coordinator, and Brennan’s like, ‘What do you think?’ Think of the wisdom that Pete has.”

Carroll has 50 years of coaching experience, highlighted by his decorated run at USC and 14 success-filled seasons in Seattle. He is one of only three coaches to win both a college football national championship and a Super Bowl title.

Belichick won an NFL-record six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and has 49 years of NFL coaching experience. Coincidentally, Belichick succeeded Carroll as the Patriots’ head coach in 2000.

“You can hire a consultant and you couldn’t pay them enough,” Huard said. “They would never compare with all of that wisdom that Pete and Bill and those guys bring – not just from an exposure and perception (standpoint), but hard and fast in those meeting rooms.”

Would the two coaching legends ever attend a UW practice together? Co-host Mike Salk posed that question to Huard.

“I think they would,” Huard said. “I think they would chop it up and talk ball. I think they’ve got a relationship. And you saw that when they competed against one another – a respect factor.

“I mean, think of Bill. Bill has no respect for anybody that hasn’t done anything in this league. And Pete Carroll won national championships and a Super Bowl. He did it at both levels. And he was a game-changer in many ways. I think that they would absolutely hit it off and have a blast.”

Listen to the full conversation in the podcast at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m.